NCAA Football Preview (Arizona-Ohio St)
Posted: Sat September 20, 1997 at 6:52 a.m EDT
Arizona (1-1) at Ohio St (2-0) 3:30 pm EDT
Number eight Ohio State looks to remain undefeated with another
game outside of the Big Ten today when it hosts Pac-10 foe
Arizona.
The Buckeyes (2-0) are coming off a 44-13 blowout of Bowling
Green. Ohio State was led by Michael Wiley, who scored two
touchdowns, including a 100-yard kickoff return, and Stanley
Jackson, who connected with David Boston for two touchdowns.
Arizona (1-1) picked up its first win of the season, 24-10 over
Alabama-Birmingham, behind a 365-yard rushing attack. Tailback
Trung Canidate sat out the first quarter but rushed 23 times for
192 yards, including a 66-yard touchdown run in the third
quarter.
Wiley leads the Buckeyes in rushing wth 193 yards on 20 carries.
He is seeking to unseat starter Pepe Pearson, who has rushed 29
times for 154 yards.
Wiley leads the nation in kickoff returns with an average of
47.67 yards per return. In his two years with the Buckeyes,
Wiley is averaging 13.8 yards everytime he touches the ball (772
yards on 56 touches).
The Arizona run defense poses a strong test for Wiley and
Pearson. The Wildcats held Oregon to 71 yards rushing in their
opening win and UAB to 43 last week. The Wildcats have held
their two opponents to 1.8 yards per attempt and 57 yards per
game, eighth best in Division I-A.
The strength of the Ohio State offense might be its wideouts,
with seven receivers having two or more catches. Dee Miller
leads the way with nine catches for 171 yards, while Boston has
caught eight for 73 yards.
Jackson and Joe Germaine continue to share the duties at
quarterback for the Buckeyes. Jackson has hit on 16-of-23 for
204 yards and three touchdowns, while Germaine is 15-of-23 for
198 yards and one score.
The Buckeyes are 13th nationally in total offense with an
average of 464 yards per game. They are also 19th in scoring
offense 34.5 points per game and tied with Florida for 20th in
rushing (222.0).
Arizona will need to establish Canidate against a Buckeye
defense that has allowed just 205 rushing yards in two games.
Canidate has gained 265 yards on 40 carries in Arizona's first
two contests.
Ohio State's defense is anchored by linebackers Jerry Rudzinski
and Andy Katzenmoyer. Rudzinski is second on the team with 16
tackles, four for losses, while Katzenmoyer is fourth with 12.
The Wildcats are also a team with two quarterbacks. Starter
Keith Smith is 16-of-37 for 214 yards while backup Brady Batten
has completed 11-of-25 for 133 yards and one touchdown.
The Buckeyes have won their last 11 regular-season
non-conference games, dating back to a 25-6 loss at Washington
in the second game of the 1994 season. Ohio State coach John
Cooper is 24-4 in the month of September.
The all-time series is even at 1-1. Both previous games were
also played in Columbus. Arizona won the initial meeting, 14-7,
in 1967. Ohio State defeated the Wildcats, 38-14, in 1991.
Ohio State is 44-22-2 all-time against the Pac-10.
Arizona has not won consecutive games in 22 months since
October/November of 1995, when it beat Washington State and
Oregon State in back-to-back road games.
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